💼 Smashing Boxes
Product Design | Leadership | Prototyping | EdTech
The Challenge
Introduction
Risen Hope Discipling Association was a client at Smashing Boxes. One goal was to create a Bible Study app designed to connect individuals with curated Biblical knowledge and study materials. Although I wouldn’t say I’m religious, I have a deep interest in learning platforms, so I viewed this opportunity as building an innovative online learning app.
Project Kickoff
The wake of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Risen Hope Discipling Association to reimagine their vision, aiming to foster increased user acceptance and engagement.
After key epics and a general feature set were agreed upon , I was brought onto the project as lead designer. At this early stage, I like to begin visualizing user journeys and check in with leadership.
The Execution
Challenges and Solutions
- Self-Study Modules: We needed to create modules that allowed users to study at their own pace. This required developing a flexible framework that could accommodate various types of content and user interactions, ensuring an engaging and personalized learning experience.
- Online Meetings and Live Streams: Enabling users to join live sessions with chat functionality was crucial. We integrated APIs and developed a seamless interface for live streaming, which included interactive chat features to foster community and engagement during live Bible study sessions.
- Interactive Text: Implementing creative ways for users to interact with the text of the Bible was essential. We used Bible APIs to provide access to various translations and rich content, deepening their connection with the material.
- Flexible Information Architecture: Designing an architecture that groups information into modules was a major challenge. This structure needed to allow organizers to create custom courses and lessons, choosing from pre-built modules. We worked closely with stakeholders to ensure the information architecture was intuitive and flexible.
- User Hierarchy Design: The app needed to cater to three hierarchical typologies: the “student,” the “organizer” (e.g., pastor running a bible study), and the “admin” (Risen Hope staff managing permissions and overall functionality). We designed distinct user interfaces and workflows for each user type, ensuring their unique needs were met.
The Impact
Due to concerns about funding, I decided to end my career at Smashing Boxes before we had a chance to roll out our app to users. Still, I was able to move the project forward from early concepting to prototype to mid-fidelity UIs, setting up our scrum team to roll out features with a clear guide.
There are many more specific details and metrics I’d be happy to share — please reach out if you’d like to learn more.